


It's okay to not be okay

by Jack_Francis_Kelly



Category: Newsies (1992), Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Child Abuse, Race is scared, Refuge, Snyder hurt Jack real bad, Snyder hurts Jack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:21:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23655271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jack_Francis_Kelly/pseuds/Jack_Francis_Kelly
Summary: Jack gets hurt.Race needs to help.Jack's very stubborn.
Relationships: Racetrack Higgins & Jack Kelly
Comments: 2
Kudos: 29





	It's okay to not be okay

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Bitchiaintanonymous](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bitchiaintanonymous/gifts).



Jack was caught in Snyder’s trap. Race was worried for him. No one except Jack knew how much it physically hurt. They knew it did, they could tell, but Jack wouldn't admit it. Race, like always, went to go visit him. 

“Racer…” He weakly smiled.

“You okay?”

“Yeah… I’s gonna be okay…” 

“How long you here fer?”

“Till the end of the week.”

“Okay, busting out?”

“Nah…” He said.

“Okay.” He said.

“Come back tamorra?”

“Course.” He smiled. He looked at Jack as he limped to his bed. 

“Night Jackie. Don’t behave.” He smirked.

“Never. Get outta here. I love you.” He smiled.

He came back the next day. Jack looked worse.

“You okay?”

“Fine.”

“No you ain’t…”

“Racer I’s okay Jus’ gonna sleep.”

“Kay… be back tamorra.”

“Ya betta.”

“Night Cowboy.”

“Night Racer.” 

The next day there was no Jack. He checked every room. No sign of him. There was one other option, he checked Snyder’s office, the window was open a little bit so he could hear.

“Boss he’s going to die…”

“I know that. Make it look like he was in a fight and lost terribly. Kelly is not my problem anymore.”

_Jack!_

He ran off sprinting.

“JACK! JACK WHERE ARE YOU!?” He screamed. He looked everywhere. A lady stopped him.

“Boy are you okay?”

“N-No…. The refuge … and Jack and-”

“Hey, calm down… what happened.”

“Jack… m-my best friend. They took ‘im ta the refuge. He didn’t do nothin. Snyda jus’ like havin ‘im there cause he like ta beat ‘im up. I’ve been goin ta visit everyday… n’ he looks worse n’ worse. N’ taday he wasn’t there… n’ I was lookin… n’ I heard em’ talking. Jack’s dyin and I need ta find ‘im.”

“He’s dying?”

“Thats what they said! They said he’s gonna die and Snyda said ta make it look like he got in a fought n’ lost.”

“Keep looking, I’m going to the police-”

“No! That makes it worse… jus’ look fer ‘im. N’ if he don’t want help ya gotta give it ta him.”

“I will…” She said. Race kept running.

“Jack! Jack please don’t be dead!” He screamed and kept looking. The panic was getting to him. This was his best friend. And by the time he found him… he could be dead. 

_“Hey, don’t be scared Racer… we’s newsies. Ya got a family now kiddo.” A younger Jack smiled at him._

_“B-But… that ain’t gonna like me…”_

_“Yeah they will! N’ ya know how I know that?”_

_“How?”_

_“I like you!” He nudged him, getting a smile._

Race blinked back the tears. Jack always knew how to make any of them feel better. 

_Race had woken up in tears cuddled up under Jack’s arms. The older boy woke up. He wasn’t mad that a kid was waking him up. He just frowned._

_“Rough night?”_

_“Don’t go back to jail.”_

_“No promises Racer. I try. I really do try, but, I’s just one kid.” He said. Race hugged him._

_“I need you.”_

_“Nah, you don’t need me. You’s fine on yer own.”_

_“Well then I WANT you.”_

_“Yeah who wouldn’t.” He grinned._

_“Racer kiddo, you know you n’ Crutch are my best friends yeah?”_

_“Yeah.”_

_“N’ you know I love you?”_

_“Yeah.”_

_“Good. jus’ makin sure.”_

_“I don’t want ya goin ta Spida no more…”_

_“Me neither. But I don’t get a say. I’s always gonna be okay though.”_

_“But… I’s not Jack. I get nightmares… not as bad as you… but I get ‘em. N’ I’s so scared you’s gonna die there one day… n’... ‘s not okay!”_

_“Hey… that’s fine too Racer. It’s okay to not be okay.” He said. “Get some sleep okay? No nightmares, I’s right here.” He said._

Now he couldn’t control it. Some tears slipped out. Finally he saw a body.

“Jack!” He ran over. It was Jack alright. Bruised and bloody Jack. “Jackie! Please don’t be dead!” He begged. Then heard him breathing, and those forest green eyes opened.

“Hey…” Race fought back his tears. He didn’t know what he was feeling. Sad because Jack isn’t okay? Happy because he found him? Scared? All?

“Jackie… what happened?”

“R-racer… I-I…”

“Jack come on. Look.... you ain’t okay.”

“I’s... fine.”

“Bullshit.” Race touched him. He flinched.

“D...Don’t touch me.”

“Jack! No way you’s walking!”

“I’s fine.” He tried pulling himself up but fell right into Race with a cry of pain.

“Jack I-”

“Go..” Jack said. He couldn’t walk.

“Jack, I gotta carry you.”

“N-No.” He protested. Jack hated help. Absolutely hated. He’s always “fine” as he says. He wouldn’t just accept help. Especially from his little brother. He didn’t want to seem weak.

“Jack you’s gonna kill yerself if you walk. I’s carrying you. I don’t give two shits what you say.” He stated, matter of factly. Jack waved him away but fell forward, Race caught him. Jack felt so light. He wasn’t eating and they all knew. 

“Jack, you can’t stand. I’s carrying you.”

“No. I’s f…”

“You can’t even speak! I’s carrying you! We can’t argue all night! You’ll die! So lets go-”

“N...No! L-Leave me. I’s fine Racer, I c-can d...do it, jus’ stop…”

Race exploded. Why did Jack have to be so damn stubborn!?

“Shut the fuck up Kelly! You’s not okay and I’s gonna help you, so let me!” He said. Jack blinked in response. He startled Jack, not what he wanted to do but it worked. Jack just nodded. Race picked him up with no problem. Once he won that unnecessary battle with Jack.

“You ain’t fine but yer gonna be… Okay?”

“Mmm”

“N’ Jack… ‘s like you tell me. It’s okay to not be okay, right?”

“Mmm.”

“Good. stay awake Kelly. We’s goin ta Medda” He said. Jack nodded. Thankfully Medda let them in right away and got a doctor as fast as humanly possible. Jack was going to be okay. They left Race and Jack alone. 

“See… yer okay.”

“Yeah… thanks ta you…” Jack said. 

“Nah, not really. ‘S also cause you’s one stubborn fucker and you ain’t dyin this yong.” He said. Jack smile. 

“Yeah… ya got me there. I is pretty stubborn huh?”

“The worst.” He chuckled. “You okay?”

“No. Not right now. That’s okay though… right?”

“Course it is Cowboy. Take yer own advice.”

“‘S different.”

“No it ain’t. Ya don’t gotta put on a brave face fer us Jack. You’s the bravest person we know no matta what. You’s allowed ta hurt. You can be scared. You can cry. We don’ care.”

“Yeah… well then maybe I’s right.”

“You is. ‘S okay Jack.”

“Mhm… what about you? You okay?”

“Doin betta than you. But I was scared shitless…”

“Yeah… ‘s okay though. Thanks fer yellin at me Race... sorry I was bein-”

“A stubborn asshole? Yeah. ‘s okay though. Got ya help. N’ now I know I can carry the big strong Jack Kelly.”

“Shut up.” He yawned.

“Go to sleep Jackie. I’s stayin here.” He said. Jack nodded. Race kissed his forehead getting a smile out of him.

Jack was safe. That's what mattered to him.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> some Jack and Race for everyone :)) Love those boys.


End file.
